Well, there's a reason many of us see pictures of our mothers and grandmothers with headfuls of long, thick hair. [1] X Research source This may be the simplest method for straightening your hair, but it's important to pick out the right product. ➜ Apply a leave in conditioner (affiliate link) as well as a good heat protectant (affiliate link) and comb through the length of the hair to evenly distribute the product. Select a shampoo and conditioner designed for straight hair. If you're tired of your current style and ready to switch to a straight, sleek look, you've got a lot of different options to choose from. Happy News: How To Straighten Hair Without Drying, Phenomenal Hair Care: Technique Review: How to Wet Wrap, Other Ways to Relax Hair Without Using a Relaxer, Hot Comb or Flat Iron, How to Prevent Split Ends When Flat-Ironing Your Hair, How to Straighten Ethnic Hair Without Relaxer. But I've heat-damaged my hair and im not putting any heat in my hair for a while. How to Straighten African American Hair from PCtiper - The How to Manual That You Can Edit If you're tired of your current style and ready to switch to a straight, sleek look, you've got a lot of different options to choose from. you looked lovely with your hair straight, but your a curly girl at heart. If using a hair band, remember not to pull the band too tight, or this may increase the risk of breakage and possibly create unwanted indentations. It heated rapidly up to 230 degrees Celsius without drying out our tester’s curly/wavy Afro hair. Curling yeah you can do that without heat but you can't straighten things. You can apply more heat protectant serum as you go if your hair looks like it's getting dried out. Step 1: Start with Dry, Nourished Hair. It stays in your hair for a while, then it is washed out, leaving your hair straight. It is possible to get your naturally curly hair into a smooth, straight style. Both can damage the hair and, with continued use, can even cause hair loss. As an acidic solution, when applied to the hair, it causes the cuticle of the hair to contract (or tighten) and will make the hair appear smoother and shinier. Using heat in your hair every day can damage it. I can do a blow dryer if needed but no flat iron. There is 1 number of options when you go out in the Market. My advice, love your curls, trust me if they're African American then they're beautiful. One is to apply clips to the edges of your hair and sit outside in the sun until your hair is completely dry. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. You want dry, clean, and nourished hair before straightening. Keeping it wrapped at night will help your hair stay strong and moist. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. African-American hair is clearly unique when it comes to its natural texture. An alumna of Cleveland State University and Kent State University, Davis earned a bachelor's degree in sociology and a master's degree in justice studies. The optimal temperature for flat ironing your natural hair is the range up to 150°C (302°F). This only takes a few brush sweeps. It's the same for me too!! For the lady who wants to know how to straighten natural hair without a relaxer, the most effective method is with a flat iron. Japanese hair straightening a cream that goes on your hair. Try the wash, blow dry, then straighten method. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 356,654 times. No. This will help your hair lose its curl as the product gets to work. Maintain straightened hair by sleeping in a satin or silk scarf. Before you wash it out, comb it until it's straightened or smooth. Follow the steps in the previous method and skip straight to the flat ironing technique. At worst, we hate the thinning and breakage aftermath from heat abuse, and currently are deathly afraid of ruining transitioner progress made to natural hair. Avoid cream setting lotions because they make your hair heavy and clumpy, not straight and smooth. Your hair will scorch and be damaged beyond repair. The eventual effect you want to achieve is an upside-down hive-like look to your hair. This could lead to significant heat damage. This choice is especially important for your conditioner, as it is is on your hair last and for the longest time. % of people told us that this article helped them. Apply clips to your hair and to the bonnet, to hold it in place, and sleep with it on. Applying a natural oil (we recommend Playa's Ritual Hair Oil, $38) after you iron is fine. Brush your smooth hair out when it is fully dry. Hopefully, you read my advice on how to prepare hair before you straighten. Next, divide your hair into four equal sections. Rollers can be used across all hair types and textures. No flat iron or blow dryer. Go several days without washing first so your hair has some natural protection from the chemicals. I have natural hair (no relaxer) and whenever i want straight hair i use a hot comb or some other straightener, it straightens really easily because my hair's texture is really soft and stuff. Types of processes: banding; tension blowdrying on cool setting; twisting; braiding; satin wrapping; silk wrap; roller setting, flexi-rods, perm rods; Let’s take a quick look at how we can use these abovementioned processes to straighten our hair. Don't get a straightening treatment done on freshly washed hair. Both can damage the hair and, with continued use, can even cause hair loss. Choose a heat protectant with glycerine as this has been shown in studies to prevent excessive moisture loss. Yes, and it may appear straighter that way but if you do it too frequently you could experience heat damage. The challenge is that many methods require you to use chemicals or heat. Silicone creams and other hairdressing products are made with oils like petroleum and lanolin or silicons like dimethicone or cyclomethicone. "A wet set is the best way to straighten your hair naturally, especially if you have very curly or coarse hair," says Pita. Try to do it in small sections so you can get it as straight as possible. Chemical straighteners are also something to look into if you want a permanently straight style. Do sections, and do the comb-chase method. Black Women Beauty Central: Want To Learn How To Wrap Black Hair? I have thick hair that reaches to my shoulders. Its been 2 years since Ive flat ironed my hair but since the big chop in January, I haven't flat iron my "new" natural hair until now. But, if you’re the lucky one who gets to rock amazing curly afro, you know that sometimes it gets out of control.. Avoid types which say they add volume, clarify or are designed to build body or curls. The clips and bonnet will leave a shape to your hair. Use a fine-toothed comb and comb solution from the root to the edges of your hair. Just make sure to rinse it all out before you start the straightening process. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Brush the rest of your hair from the top of your head and around clockwise. Saturate your hair with a liquid-setting lotion. Coca Cola contains phosphoric acid. Take two large rollers and roll these segments towards the back of your head. Don't move down the shaft of hair too quickly; you want to do it slowly, so the hair has time to dry. If you want, you can deep condition on the day you want to straighten your hair. This article has been viewed 356,654 times. Afterwards, wrap the scarf around your head and allow at least 6 hours for the hair to dry. Not possible. Put it in bushy ponytail, or just wear it out in an Afro, or your natural curls. Andre Walker, a famous US hairstylist, describes the distinct hair texture common in African-American hair as ‘kinky’. If you didn’t, read my section just above this one. Be sure to comb the hair from the bottom to the top to avoid breakage. What else can I try? Use either the warm or hot setting on your hair dryer for best effect. If you see smoke during the straightening process that's fine, but if you hear sizzling STOP. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/de\/Straighten-African-American-Hair-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Straighten-African-American-Hair-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/de\/Straighten-African-American-Hair-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/aid719073-v4-728px-Straighten-African-American-Hair-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"